In order to reduce traffic overflow to independent sites! TikTok will terminate the Storefront service!

It is learned that in order to reduce traffic spillover to independent sites, TikTok will stop TikTok Storefront and its related Shopify integration in the next two weeks. European merchants will need to sell directly on TikTok Shop in the future to attract customers on this fast-growing platform.

TikTok plans to stop allowing sellers to place links that can be clicked to external platforms, which means that TikTok will no longer drive traffic to sellers' independent websites and other external platforms. From now on, TikTok will end its semi-closed loop model, and its traffic will only be used for its own e-commerce platform Tik Tok Shop.

"Storefront" was jointly launched by TikTok and Canadian e-commerce service platform Shopify in 2020, allowing sellers to direct traffic to their own independent sites. Since it can jump to the outside, this model is also called a semi-closed loop model. After attracting a large number of sellers, TikTok decided to guide both buyers and sellers to its own platform to achieve a full closed loop.

The suspension of TikTok Storefront service will soon affect TikTok sellers . For now, they can still use TikTok Storefront on Shopify. Through integrations with Big Commerce, Ecwid, and Square, sellers can easily display their products on TikTok and direct shoppers to their own websites.

TikTok Storefront stops service worldwide

TikTok Storefront will stop service worldwide on September 12. Storefront products will no longer appear in TikTok profiles, short videos, live broadcasts, and ads. TikTok is encouraging merchants to transition from Storefront to TikTok Shop as soon as possible.

TikTok prefers shoppers to make purchases directly on its social platform rather than being redirected to an external website. With TikTok Shop, the platform aims to be more than just a showcase for other e-commerce sites. TikTok aims to be a one-stop shop.

TikTok said: "At TikTok, we are committed to building native, engaging and entertaining shopping experiences that enable you to meaningfully interact with customers and grow your business. As the retail industry changes rapidly, we are committed to enhancing and expanding our product offerings to meet the evolving needs of sellers. That’s why we built the TikTok Store."

TikTok Shop is an e-commerce solution integrated into the TikTok app. It allows brands to showcase and sell products directly on the social platform through shoppable in-feed videos, live shopping sessions, and product display tabs on profile pages. TikTok Shop enables merchants to sell directly on the platform.

TikTok, the international subsidiary of Chinese company ByteDance, launched TikTok Shop in certain parts of Asia early last year, followed by expansion in the UK and the US. TikTok's interest in e-commerce is evident from its launch of fulfillment services in the UK.

Editor ✎Estella/

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